Sussex CA 18.5 mile hard riders

[Lucyap]

After looking at the forecast saturday night I decided to brake with tradition and not get too stressed about this event, so rather than a sleepless night I headed to the pub Feeling rather bleary this morning I passed on the tt bike, and instead chucked my gator clad road bike in the car and headed out into the rain to HQ at Handcross.
It was nice to see fellow Over The Hill Gang rider, Chris Stone from Redhill CC as I signed on, and we had a good chat as we rode to the start together. There looked like quite a few DNS (including Mr ), and I hadn't yet spotted the only other female rider on the start sheet ...
I can't say I was feeling my best, but with a good push I was off. The course was great, some lovely roads and good climbs, but it was hard in places and rather wet! My legs felt rubbish as I've been putting in some long miles recently, but it felt great to be out and I rode as best I could. Good to see the chequered flag at last, and I shivered back to HQ.
My time was 59.29, which I wasn't very happy about. But I did it, and as the only female rider was presented with first prize of a bottle of wine.

Results (hope this is right, still feeling bit bleary!!)
1st - Pete Tadros In Gear RT 43.02
2nd - Richard Prebble Node4 45.11
3rd - Steve Berry Team Swift 45.20
4th - Rupert Burbridge In Gear RT 47.19

1st Team - GS Stella
1st Lady - Me!!

http://app.strava.com/rides/sussex-ca-h ... UyNDA%253D

[Andrew G]

Well done Lucy, it is a nice course isn't it. I got up and saw it was already raining so gave it a miss and sent my apologies to Mr.D. I didn't fancy racing in the cold and wet and spending longer cleaning the bike than I'd have spent racing it.

I do the SPOCOs for training and enter this and next week's East Surrey event as they are nice courses. Always a gamble with the weather though and I don't like starting the season with a wet and cold warm up and race. Pity as the legs have felt quite good lately and I wanted to test my new bars out.

I'l just do an extra interval session on the commute this week instead .

[Snoop Doug]

1st Lady
Under the hour
Bottle of wine no need to go to pub tonight

Bonus!

[George]

Fantastic result Lucy well done on riding today You've got to be in it to win it

[carl f]

Nice one Lucy, perhaps thats the trick to get through these sporting events and hammer the ale the night before
I was at the Maidstone duathlon this morning with the bike split being on the Q25 tt course down on the A20-got absolutely soaked to the bone and had some nasty flashbacks of the spoco 50 i did there last year!
Andrew shame on you, bit of rain thought you were harder than that

[Ivor]

Well done Lucy! My entry took eight days to arrive with a first class stamp so I missed this one.